9 Most Anticipated Films of 2010

These aren't in any sort of order:

NEVER LET ME GO
Dir. Mark Romanek    Release Date: September 15th

Based on the best selling novel of the same name by British author Kazuo Ishiguro. Never Let Me Go is a great story about relationships that span a lifetime, with a slight sci-fi undertone.

Mark Romanek  is known most for his award winning music-videos for artists like Nine Inch Nails and Michael Jackson. He his first feature length film was ONE HOUR PHOTO. Which starred Robin Williams.

Never Let Me Go stars Andrew Garfield (The newly cast Spider-Man in the franchise reboot), Carey Mulligan ( Academy Award Nominee from last year's An Education), and Keira Knightley (Academy Award Nominee).

Try to go into this film not knowing much about the story, it will be much more rewarding in the long run. Although I do recommend reading the book.

Never Let Me Go Trailer  is slightly a spoiler. Check it out if you're interested.



THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Dir. David Fincher      Release Date: October 1st

Based upon the true story (screenplay based upon the novel The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook by Ben Mezrich) about how Facebook came about.

The Social Network has a gripping, and emotional story. It's the tale of a Harvard graduate who put life's social networks online and become an idol for it.

David Fincher is known for such films as FIGHT CLUB, SE7EN and BENJAMIN BUTTON.

It stars Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland, Squid and the Whale), Andrew Garfield (Never Let Me Go) and Justin Timberlake ( Alpha Dog).

I recommend reading the novel as well.

The Social Network Trailer


DUE DATE
Dir. Todd Phillips   Release Date: November 5th

Due Date is about a road trip gone wrong, in which an expectant father (Robert Downey Jr.) is forced to hitch a ride with an aspiring actor (Zach Galifianakis) so he can make his child's birth. The premise sounds fun, and after last year's THE HANGOVER I'm more than willing to give Phillips a chance.

This could be the comedy of the year.


Due Date Trailer




127 HOURS
Dir. Danny Boyle   Release Date:  November 5th

Another fascinating true story, this time about survival and a man's struggle against himself and nature.

Mountain climber Aron Ralston (James Franco) is trapped in an isolated canyon after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm while he is hiking in Utah. He spends five days alone trying to free himself.

Danny Boyle is known for his critically acclaimed films such as SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (which he won the Academy Award for Best Director), 28 DAYS LATER, TRAINSPOTTING.

I loved Slumdog, and I'm a big fan of Boyle's distinct visual style. The trailer for the film gives me hope that this could possibly be his best film yet.

127 Hours Trailer



BLACK SWAN
Dir. Darren Aronofsky   Release Date:  December 1st

I have written quite a bit about Black Swan.  It's safe to say that if you enjoyed THE WRESTLER or REQUIEM FOR A DREAM you are looking forward to this film.

It's a psychological thriller/ horror set in a Ballet company in New York City.

It's the story of a perfectionist ballerina (Nathalie Portman) who's mental well being is jeopardized when another ballerina (Mila Kunis) seeks to take her role in the upcoming production of Swan Lake.

The film is said the be graphic, sexual, and terrifying. Essentially exactly what Aronofsky is known for.

Black Swan Trailer



TRON LEGACY
Dir. Joseph Kosinski    Release Date: December 17th

This one is the geeky guilty pleasure of the bunch. Having been a fan of the original TRON since I saw it on a dusty VHS tape, I was over-joyed when I found out about Tron Legacy.

It's the direct continuation of the story, set about 20 years after the original.

Joseph Kosinski is best known for his commercial work, having done commercials for Nike and other big companies. His sleek, simplistic style is the perfect match for this project. Much a kin to Kubrick, who would have been my first choice for this project (R.I.P  S.Kubrick).

Another exciting aspect to the film is that Daft Punk is providing the score. Another perfect fit for the futuristic world of Tron.

Tron Legacy was also filmed in 3D much like Avatar. This is obviously much better than post-conversion 3D which usually ends up not working out to well a la Clash of the Titans. So the 3D aspect should be entertaining and could add some great depth to the film.

The film stars Garret Hedlund and Jeff Bridges among others.

All in all I'm super excited, hopefully its worth seeing.

Tron Legacy Trailer



SOMEWHERE
Dir. Sofia Coppola    Release Date: December 22nd

It's the story of a Hollywood bad-boy type reconnecting with his daughter and making changes in his life.

Like I said in the previous post I'm a big fan of Sofia Coppola so this film is definitely on my list.

Somewhere stars Stephen Dorff and Elle Fanning.

Watch the trailer here, it's very well done:

Somewhere Trailer



THE ILLUSIONIST
Dir. Sylvain Chomet   Release Date: December 23rd

A struggling illusionist travels to a sleepy Scottish town where he meets a girl who thinks he is a real magician.

This story comes from a screenplay written by Jacques Tati (Playtime, Mon Oncle) that was never made into a film until now.

The animators have made the Illusionist resemble Tati, since he would have most likely starred in the adaptation had it been made.

This is an animated feature from French filmmaker Sylvain Chomet, known for his previous film THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE.

I highly recommend seeing Triplets, it's an amazing film filled with beautiful animation and a touching story.

The Illusionist Trailer

and a little something extra:

The Triplets of Belleville Trailer


TRUE GRIT
Dir. The Coen Brothers      Release Date: December 25th

True Grit is the second film adaptation of the book by Charles Portis. The first film, titled True Grit as well, came out in 1969 and John Wayne won an Academy Award for Best Actor.

True Grit is the story of Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a 14 year old girl who searches for the drifter that killed her father. She persuades the an alcoholic marshal (Jeff Bridges) to help her find the killer.

Little is known about the film since only this production still has been shown and there's been no trailer.

But if you're a fan of the Coen Brother's other works such as FARGO, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, BLOOD SIMPLE, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, as well as last year's A SERIOUS MAN, you will no doubt be anticipating this film.

I know I am.

True Grit stars Josh Brolin, Matt Damon, Bridges and Steinfeld whom I mentioned above.

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Well thanks for reading! Please list your most anticipated films in the comments below.

SOMEWHERE

Somewhere is Sofia Coppola's new film coming out December 22nd in the states.

Sofia Coppola is known for her critically acclaimed films such as Lost in Translation and The Virgin Suicides. She is also the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather).

Somewhere stars Stephen Dorff  and Elle Fanning.

I'm quite excited for this film, I have enjoyed all of Sofia Coppola's films to date even Marie Antoinette which rubbed some critics the wrong way.

I think Coppola is great with composition and each shot is emotionally complex. It makes for a much different viewing experience than the films that rely heavily on plot. With Coppola you can just marvel at the scenery and the music of the film and be content. Which is pretty impressive in my opinion.

Here is the link to the trailer for those of you that haven't seen it:

Somewhere Trailer

127 HOURS TRAILER

Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire took home 8 academy awards in 2009 (including best picture, best director, and best original score among others). 

Boyle's next film is 127 Hours. It tells the true story of Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who amputated his own arm to free himself after being trapped by a boulder for nearly five days ( aka. 127 hours).

James Franco stars as Ralston.

The film will be released on November 5th 2010.

Here is the brand new trailer:

127 Hours Trailer

YOUR LUCKY DAY

This is possibly one of the best short films I have seen to date. It completely surprised me. It's a must watch!

Here is the link:

Your Lucky Day

THE SOCIAL NETWORK TRAILER

The Social Network is David Fincher's new film about Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook.

It's based off the national bestseller  "The Accidental Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich.  Whose novel is described as "A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal".

The film has been getting some great buzz, Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave it 4 out of 4 stars (first perfect score he has given in 2010).

The Social Network will premiere at The New York Film Festival next month.

It will be released on October 1st.

Here is the trailer:

The Social Network Trailer

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD: A Review

Let me start things off on an honest note: this is going to be a biased review.

"Why?" you ask. Well because I love the Scott Pilgrim series. So the very fact that it has been adapted into a film makes me giddy (not many things make me giddy).

For those of you unfamiliar with Scott Pilgrim it is a series of Graphic Novels by writer/artist Bryan Lee O'Malley, consisting of six volumes.

The series depicts the life of a Canadian slacker by the name of Scott Pilgrim. At the start of the first volume he's 23, in a band, and dating a 17 year old high-school student, named Knives Chau. From there a long series of bizarre events (6 volumes worth) transpire involving the girl of his dreams, a mysterious American named Ramona Flowers, and her 7 evil exes.

It may sound a little confusing but in the context of the books it makes perfect sense.

This is essentially the very same  plot that the film follows. It stays quite faithful to the series while making some smart alterations that work for the 112 minute running time.

The film is directed by Edgar Wright of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz fame. It stars Michael Cera (Superbad, Juno) as the title role of Scott Pilgrim, as well as Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Death Proof), Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, Funny People), Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down) and many others.

Let me start off by saying that this large ensemble cast is one of the film's greatest strengths. There is such great chemistry between all of the characters that it makes watching the film a genuine treat. You really feel like you've stumbled upon this close knit group of friends and are experiencing the events alongside them.

I found this incredibly refreshing, especially in a time where most movies constantly remind the viewer that they are just watching a film and nothing more.


The film is set in Toronto which immediately sets it apart from most of the commercial films we are used to. Toronto provides a backdrop that is just as interesting as the events that are taking place, while remaining modest and realistic.

Several landmarks are featured in the movie such as Casa Loma, Toronto's famous castle. This is the setting of a movie set within the film which features an exciting fight between Scott and one of Ramona's evil exes. It is one of the more humorous scenes in the film.

Which brings me to my next point: the humor in this film is top notch. I attribute this to Edgar Wright's British sense of humor where timing is everything. There are so many jokes jam-packed into this movie that I missed several because I was still laughing at the previous gag (this makes repeat viewings all the more fun).

Whether it's making fun of each other, or just situational comedy, the cast succeeds in keeping the audience entertained and laughing.

Michael Cera shines as Scott Pilgrim when there is comedy involved. His timing is perfect and it's hilarious to watch how naive and absurd of a character Scott is. Many people were concerned that Cera would apply his usual shtick to the role. But you can rest assured that his signature awkwardness is no where to be found. Scott is a confident character, while remaining oblivious to his surroundings and Cera plays him perfectly.

He even manages to look like an authentic rocker (Cera actually plays guitar) during his scenes with his band, SEX BOB-OMB.

The music in this film is one of the best aspects. It fits perfectly with the action on screen and has quickly become on of my favorite film soundtracks.

The tracks that Edgar Wright has chosen compliment each scene. They reflect the emotions on screen as well as giving them added depth. Some even serve as homages to the graphic novel like the song "Scott Pilgrim" by Plumtree which plays early on in the film. It's the song that inspired Bryan Lee O'Malley to name his own character Scott Pilgrim.

Even more brilliant is the score composed by Nigel Godrich. He beautifully personifies the characters with each track. They are layered with so much personality and emotion that it really pays off in the quieter scenes. Though that doesn't mean that when the action starts his score is gets overlooked, in fact it's quite the opposite. His music adds energy and excitement to the fight scenes.

The third kind of music is that preformed by the bands in the film, of which there are several. First is Sex Bob-Omb, who's songs were written by Beck. He does a great job making the tracks sound realistic in a grungy, garage band sort of way. The film's other featured band is THE CLASH AT DEMONHEAD whose music is written by the Canadian group Metric. Their song "Black Sheep" is sure to stay in your head after the movie has finished.

Also the sound effects taken from The Legend of Zelda and Mario are absolutely mind blowing.

If none of this has convinced you to go out and see the movie than you should see it purely for it's visuals. I assure you that you've never witnessed anything like this.

It takes panels straight from the graphic novel and amplifies them ten-fold. Sound effects pop out behind the characters, whether it's "bang", "smak",  or "thonk".

Thunderbolts spring from guitars as they are being played, the words "ding dong" appear on screen as a character presses a door bell.

It's truly an amazing spectacle combined with Edgar Wright's signature quick cuts. He crafts inventive transitions that perfectly match the graphic aesthetic. I couldn't think of a better fit for a director.

It might seem like I have only good things to say but there are several faults within the film.

The pacing of the film is a little off. It starts slow but once it gets to the 3rd evil ex everything goes by really quickly. Before you know it the credits are rolling.

My main problem with the film though is that it's lacking in heart.  Scott and Ramona's relationship seems flat and their love doesn't seem real. They don't spend enough time alone together to really develop their relationship. This is the main thing that didn't translate from the Graphic Novels. It's what keeps it from being one of my favorite movies of all time.
 
But don't get me wrong, I love this movie. It's easily one of the best I have seen this year and is something that you should really just go out and experience....like now. Support innovation and creativity and see Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World!

BLACK SWAN TRAILER

The Trailer for Darren Aronofsky's ( Requiem for A Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler) new film recently debuted.

It features Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Vincent Cassel.

The film is set to premiere at the 67th Venice International Film Festival this September and will receive a limited release on December 1st.

Checkout the trailer here:

Black Swan Official Trailer